''Atyoida bisulcata'', also called or in Hawaiian, is a species of freshwater shrimp endemic to Hawaii in the family

Atyidae Atyidae is a family of shrimp, present in all tropical and most temperate waters of the world. Adults of this family are almost always confined to fresh water. This is the only family in the superfamily Atyoidea. Genera and species The follow ...

.(2004), pre-press, American Fisheries Society Special Publication 31Orrell T. (custodian) & Nicolson D. (ed). (2019). ITIS Regional: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (version Jun 2017). In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life, 2019 Annual Checklist (Roskov Y., Ower G., Orrell T., Nicolson D., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., DeWalt R.E., Decock W., Nieukerken E. van, Zarucchi J., Penev L., eds.). Digital resource at www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2019. Species 2000: Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands. ISSN 2405-884X. It was described in 1840 by

John Witt Randall John Witt Randall (November 6, 1813 – January 25, 1892) was a minor poet and, for a brief time, a naturalist, but is best known for the collection of drawings and engravings that he bequeathed to Harvard University. Early life Randall was bo ...

and is the type species for the genus ''

Atyoida ''Atyoida'' is a genus of freshwater shrimp in the family Atyidae. There are four species in the genus, each endemic to a different island group. The type species, ''Atyoida bisulcata'', is endemic to Hawaiʻi and described by John Witt Randall ...

''.

Description

This species of freshwater

shrimp Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are refer ...

grow to about 2 inches in length. They don't possess any type of claws but have a unique set of pincers, containing bristle-like hairs that are primarily used to catch and filter small food particles from water columns. The shrimp are often characterized by either a golden-brown or dark-green/black pigmentation.

Distribution & habitat

‘Ōpae kala‘ole can be commonly found on the islands of Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Maui, and Hawai‘i, where they occupy streams of high water quality. They often inhabit the higher parts of streams, where the water is typically flowing the quickest. Oftentimes, they can be seen upstream of 100 ft waterfalls.

Human use & cultural significance

As of today, the consumption of the shrimp continues and is still considered a prized source of food. They were regarded as a favorite delicacy consumed by the early Native Hawaiians. However, the sale of the shrimp is illegal while its consumption is not.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4476398 Taxa named by John Witt Randall Endemic fauna of Hawaii Atyidae Crustaceans described in 1840 Edible crustaceans